Foxy Lady
by Nicole M. Tracy
Summary: College has proven to be Kim's most challenging hurdle yet, with bizarre roommates, an impossible work load, her long-distance relationship on the rocks, and Bonnie causing trouble around every corner, but things take a turn for the worst when Señor Senior Senior comes up with a plan to finally take revenge on Kim Possible by keeping his friends close and his enemies closer.
1. I Promise

The dim, blue glow emanating from the laptop was the only source of light in the room. The light made the red head look pasty and fatigued as she sat chewing her nails nervously, keeping her eye on the clock.

Her stomach was already in knots and the smell of Ron's nachos didn't help the situation. She could feel her stomach tighten, her pulse quicken, and her eyebrows pull involuntarily into an anxious scowl.

"Nervous?" her blonde companion asked quirking an eyebrow at her. Kim felt a small smile tug at her lips.

"Very. Signing up for college classes is a big deal. I want to make sure I get each one I need and that means beating everyone else." The clock changed; one more minute.

Kim Possible uncrossed her legs and stretched them out over the bedspread. She ran a shaky hand through her hair as Ron reached for another -now cold- greasy nacho.

"You know, I think you're more nervous now than you've ever been in the history of…well, ever." Ron stated nonchalantly before giving his girlfriend a quick, reassuring peck on the cheek. She rubbed away the queso that had hitched a ride onto her face from the corner of Ron's mouth.

"Yeah, I suppose I am…"

"Why is that?" Kim thought about that for a minute. She wasn't sure to be honest. She had always been pretty head on and straight forward, except when it came to boys maybe, but now here she was: a high school graduate, ready to face the world and shaking like a little girl. She shook her head.

"I'm not sure. Maybe I just feel like the whole world is on my shoulders. I'm still doing the whole 'save the world' thing, Monique moved to New York to become a fashion designer and my parents both have such prestigious titles and careers that I guess I'm afraid I won't live up to their expectations of me."

"Kim," Ron said holding her hand in his, "listen to me. Your parents love you. They're proud of you and will always be proud. They're supportive of you and they know that you have what it takes to-"

"Eight o'clock! It's go time!" Kim interrupted and typed frantically at her laptop. "College Writing II, check! Quantitative Literacy, check!"

"Kim, big words, hurting brain." Ron joked. Kim took no notice and continued through her courses.

"English 101L, check! Introduction to Criminal Justice and Criminology….oh God no! Oh wait…check!"

"Kim, maybe you should take a 'for fun' class. You know, to relax, have some down time?" Kim was tempted to smack him upside the head. That would prevent her from graduating as scheduled.

"May I remind you of the time you took on, like, a bazillion things to do in high school and you nearly had a mental break down."

Kim sighed. "I will, I promise. Just…maybe next semester, ok? I'm already taking 20 credits and I really don't want to drop any of my required classes."

Ron frowned. "You're taking 20 credits? Kim, that's kind of an insane amount. Sure you couldn't drop Quanti- Quantititi-…math or something to give yourself a more manageable schedule?"

Kim shook her head. "I have a plan and that plan involves graduating as soon as I can. If I'm going to have my own practice by the time I'm 30, I need to do this as quickly as I can and prove I'm capable. Besides, I'm a Possible and anything is-"

"-possible for a Possible." Ron finished as he helped himself to another nacho. "Alright, but just take care of yourself, alright? You risk some serious burnout with a schedule like that."

Kim nodded again and completed the registration process.

"There, all done. God, my hands are shaking."

"You'll be great, KP." Ron affirmed between licking the last of the queso off his fingers. "Everyone knows you're a force to be reckoned with. Don't sweat it."

Kim smiled. "Thanks, Ron." She leaned over and gave him a firm kiss on the cheek, causing his face to flush a delicate pink.

"I love you." He said with an uncharacteristic amount of seriousness for a man with a naked mole rat fast asleep on his head.

Kim felt a warmth spread from her chest, making her feel peaceful and serene. "I know. I love you too."

"Come on." Ron said sliding off the bed and pulling Kim to her feet. "Let's go celebrate you getting all your classes with a trip to McSchooley's Scoop Emporium for a couple of milkshakes."

* * *

Kim set the last box down in the cargo van and carefully slide the door closed. She allowed her hand to linger on the handle for a moment before turning to face her family. Each had an expectant smile on their face, but none of them were quite able to conceal the sorrow in their eyes.

Kim swallowed down the lump forming in her throat. She could feel it too; the lingering nerves, the knowledge that she'd be so far away from her home. She'd been all over the world, from Shanghai to Dubai to Timbuctoo, but she always returned within a few days. This time she wouldn't be coming home until Christmas break. She could feel her mask begin to waiver.

Fortunately, Ann made the first move, wrapping her daughter up in a desperate embrace. She pulled back after a minute and gazed proudly at her college girl, eyes misting with fresh tears.

"Take care of yourself, Kimmy."

"And be sure to call." James added, pulling her into his arms and placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"I will, Dad."

"If you see any hot single ladies, be sure to give them my number." Tim smirked as he shot finger guns in Kim's direction. Kim rolled her eyes.

"Don't you have a girlfriend?" Jim asked suspiciously.

"College chicks, dude. College chicks." Tim said in way of explanation.

Jim rubbed his chin for a moment before smirking in response.

"Cool."

Kim hugged her brothers before turning to Ron.

Ron stood quietly, hands shoved into his pockets, rocking back and forth on his heels nervously. He finally stopped rocking, took a deep breath, and met Kim's gaze.

His expression threatened to break Kim's heart. His concern and desolation were palpable as Kim wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly.

"I miss you already and you haven't even backed out of the driveway."

Kim pulled back, breaking the embrace to look Ron in the eye.

"I'll call you every Sunday."

Ron swallowed hard. "Text me too?"

"Throughout the week." Kim assured him.

Ron looked down as he purposefully intertwined their hands together.

"Promise?"

Kim could feel the mask crack as her eyes began to fill with tears.

"I promise." She whispered, her voice cracking a little. She leaned forward, catching Ron's lips in hers. She could hear her brothers make gagging noises in disgust and her father coughed awkwardly at the affectionate display.

She broke the kiss, placing a comforting hand on Ron's cheek before turning to the van and climbing inside.

"Drive safe!" Ann called. "Make sure to eat well!"

Kim waved cheerily and pulled out of the driveway. As she shifted the van into drive she glanced in the rearview mirror to see Ron's face buried in Ann's shoulder as she rubbed his back soothingly.

Her mask shattered.

It was after dark when Kim finally pulled onto campus, but the grounds were expertly manicured, landscaped, and lit by the groundskeeping crew, giving the school an ethereal glow. Kim could easily spot the large granite sign with _West Bridge University est 1909_ chiseled into its perfectly polished face.

She sighed contentedly as she made her way around the campus to the on-campus housing where Kim would spend the next 7 (5 and a half if she played her cards right) years of her life.

The residence halls bustled with activity as students, parents, RMs, and movers bustled about, going up and down the halls making the narrow passages noisy, stifling, and smelling strongly of body odor, cigarette smoke, and most likely weed.

The line for the elevators was ridiculous, but with her room being on the fourth floor, and several trips required to lug everything upstairs, Kim had no choice but to wait or be sweaty, winded, and sore the next day.

"487…. 487…" Kim mumbled to herself as she shifted the weight of the boxes she carried onto her hip to readjust her grip on them. Kim finally found the room near the end of the hall. She balanced the boxes against the wall as she hurriedly swiped her room key over the scanner. The light immediately flashed green and she shoved open the door, nearly dropping her boxes in the process.

The door opened into a rather small common area. A couple of mismatched chairs and an old, flower-print sofa made up a seating area to the left of the door, surrounding a very small flat screen tv. Behind the seating area Kim could see into the attached kitchenette where a buxom, rotund blonde could be seen leaning on the counter chatting animatedly to a tall, bored-looking brunette who was scrolling aimlessly through her laptop. The blonde immediately looked up upon hearing the door open. Her face changed from mild curiosity to utter delight.

"Oh my stars! If it isn't Kim Possible!" She drawled excitedly as she waddled over extending a hand. "I'm Gracie Stout. It's a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance, Kim."

"It's a pleasure to meet you too." Kim replied shaking the offered hand while awkwardly balancing the boxes on her knee.

"Here, let me take those for you." Gracie offered, taking the boxes from Kim. "I'll show you to your room and give you the grand tour."

Gracie led Kim around the sofa to the room in the far-left corner, opened the door, and flicked on the single light fixture. The stark white walls made the florescent light from the uncovered bulb nearly blinding. The brown carpet showed severe signs of wear, the pile was balding in some spots, and the nail holes from the previous resident had been lazily spackled on top of the paint. The bare twin mattress sagged in the middle on top of its broken frame and the chest of drawers looked like someone had left a candle unattended as a huge scorch mark seared the top.

"This is your room." Gracie said placing the boxes on the floor and gesturing grandly. Kim nodded numbly at the sight. "I know it's a bit rough around the edges, but 'first come, first served' as they say." This is the bathroom you'll be sharing with Alex over there." She gestured to the aforementioned brunette who waved lazily in way of a greeting. "That's her room next to yours, my room is there on the other side of the front door, next to me is Keisha's room, and then our shared bathroom." She explained, pointing to each door in succession.

Kim followed Gracie into the kitchen, where the blonde opened the cupboards showing Kim the insides. Each was dutifully labeled with the owner's name and most of them were relatively bare, aside from Gracie's, which comprised mostly of various cereals, quick meals, and snack cakes.

"Each of us also have our own shelf in the pantry. Also, remember to write your name on your food as well so there's no confusion. If it's not yours, don't eat it, especially without asking first."

"Here on the fridge we also have the cleaning rotation chart. We switch who does what on Saturdays, but you are in charge of cleaning your own room, obviously. Any questions?"

"I don't think so." Kim said slowly, taking it all in. "Thanks for playing tour guide for me. It's my first semester, so I really appreciate it."

Gracie giggled. "It's no problem, Kim. I'm happy to help. If you need anything, let me know. Until then, I guess I'll let you finish unpacking."

Kim woke up incredibly sore the next morning, not only from moving boxes until well after midnight, but also from the sagging mattress. Her back was absolutely killing her. Maybe if she was lucky she could find a new bedframe at the local flea market. She fought the mattress for a moment, rocking back and forth in order to gain enough momentum to escape her lumpy prison, before stumbling over to the door.

"You can't be serious." Alex stated, her voice flat and dripping with disbelief.

"Absolutely, I'm serious!" Gracie shrieked in response. Her face burned red with displeasure and her already high voice was even higher. "Rules exist for a reason, Alex! If we all just took whatever we wanted all the time, it'd be chaos! Anarchy!"

"Jesus Christ."

"What's going on?" Kim asked, making her presence to the argument known. "Is everything ok?"

"No!" Gracie shouted in reply, "Everything is not ok!"

Alex rubbing the bridge of her nose in annoyance. Her patience quickly waning.

"Alex ate one of my Toaster Tarts!" Gracie looked near tears. "I feel so violated!"

Kim's initial surprise settled into mild exasperation. "That's it?"

"That's it?!" Gracie looked livid. "We literally went over this yesterday! Why doesn't anyone care that I'm upset?!"

Suddenly Keisha's door slammed open, making everyone jump.

"Hey! How about everyone shut the fuck up!" She shrieked angrily. "Some of us have to work nights!" As quickly as she had come, she was gone; another slam announcing her departure and causing a photo to fall from the wall and shatter on the ground.

"Good Lord." Gracie muttered quietly, breaking the silence and making a quick sign of the cross.

"By the way," Alex said, turning to Kim's pale face, "Keisha works nights over at Weldon's Café to pay for school. Keep things at a reasonable volume until at least two."

"Right." Kim agreed feeling the color slowly come back into her face. "I'll definitely keep that in mind."

After a quick breakfast and a shower, Kim headed out to walk around campus and get a little sunshine in the process. Kim threw her arm up to block the blinding sun. It was a little warm, but not uncomfortable at a balmy 85 degrees and the sky was a brilliant blue; not a cloud in sight. The warm breeze felt pleasant against Kim's face, tousling her hair about.

She pushed her sunglasses up on her nose and began wandering aimlessly, getting to know the layout of her new home away from home. It seemed like everyone else had the same idea as the campus was absolutely littered with fellow freshman. She passed through the courtyard, baseball field, a man-made creek, and stopped to relax near a water feature that had been produced by the Fine Arts department (according to the plaque).

She got a couple tacos for a late lunch from a busy food truck and ate them as she headed back for her dorm. She was finally starting to feel like she was settling in. Her nerves had melted away in the warm sunshine and left her feeling at peace and looking forward to the cliched "first day of the rest of her life".

She smiled to herself as she leaned against the windowsill just outside her dorm door and admired the view as the sun began to dip towards the horizon. She sighed contentedly. Tomorrow was going to be a great day.


	2. First Days Are the Worst Days

Late! How could she have let this happen!?

Kim struggled for a minute to escape the horrible sunken mattress before flinging herself out of bed, grabbing the outfit she -thankfully- pre-planned for the first day of classes, and rushing into the bathroom.

She emerged moments later attempting to brush her hair and teeth at the same time, while she double-checked she had all her supplies for the day.

Alex watched idly from the sofa as she sipped at her coffee and scanned a news article on her laptop. "Running late?" She inquired with a knowing smirk.

"Very." Kim responded after gargling and spitting into the sink. "I have class in 10 minutes and it's on the other side of campus in the PoliSci Building ."

"Take the Computer Science concourse to the Tech Building. Go down to the first floor, then follow the Loter concourse. Go through the Loter Center to the Bailey Center, and follow the signs to the PoliSci Building. You'll get there faster."

"Thanks." Kim said as she grabbed an apple out of the fruit bowl and darted out the door.

Despite Alex's time-saver, Kim still arrived 15 minutes late to her Intro to Criminal Justice class. She entered quietly as to not disturb the class, but upon opening the door all heads swiveled in her direction to gawk at the late-comer including the professor, who turned from the white board, arms crossed, his expression perfectly neutral.

"Nice of you to finally join us, Miss…"

"Possible." Kim provided. "Kim Possible."

"Ms. Possible." The professor repeated as he removed the wireframed glasses from his face.

"Professor Lawless took off his glasses!" Gasped a student near Kim.

"She's dead." His friend replied.

Kim swallowed nervously at the comment and clutched her backpack closer to her chest.

"Ms. Kim-the-teen-hero-saves-the-world-Possible?" He asked, his voice as neutral as his expression.

"Uh, yeah. Look, I'm really sorry for being so late, I got lost you see and-"

"There is nothing, Ms. Possible, that I hate more than lazy students who make excuses instead of accepting responsibility for their actions." Professor Lawless interrupted, his voice dripping with venom.

"Oh, nonono. I completely accept responsibility for my actions, Professor Lawless."

"Indeed." Lawless raised an eyebrow in her direction. "Find a seat, Ms. Possible. We'll just consider this one of your allotted absences for the semester."

Kim flushed in righteous indignation. That wasn't fair! It was the first day of class! She wasn't expected to know where all her classes were! She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from saying any of these thoughts and plopped down in the only available seat: front and center.

The chance at an iced-coffee was worth the risk of being late to her Quantitative Literacy class. She tipped the barista, hoping the little bit of karma would eventually come her way and instead bumped into another student, spilling coffee all over her white shirt.

"Are you kidding me?" She growled to no one in particular as she dabbed frantically at the quickly setting stain with a handful of napkins. Kim hurried to the nearest bathroom to use the facilities and see if she could blot the stain out any better with cold water. It helped, a little.

People were giving Kim weird looks and snickering as she passed by them. A few even took out their phones and weren't too subtle about snapping a few photos.

Kim frowned in confusion. To be fair, her interaction with Professor Lawless hadn't been ideal, but there was no way it was this funny, let alone had spread this quickly.

She hurried down the hall, making a left at the Administration Building to cut through to the Liberal Arts Building…. Or should she have taken a right? Kim looked around in confusion. Had she gone down this hallway before? Bystanders were still openly laughing at her and it was starting to get to her. What was their deal anyway? Did she have a zit? A booger?! She took out her compact and checked her face.

Kim suddenly found herself sprawled out on the ground, her notebooks and supplies scattered around her. She had missed the last step on the stairway and landed gracelessly in a heap at the bottom of the stairs.

"Holy shit, are you ok?" A guy near the stairs dropped to his knees, helping Kim gather her things.

"Thanks." Kim sighed taking her belongings from the stranger and unceremoniously shoving them into her bag.

"By the way," The guy added quietly, "your skirt is tucked up into your underwear."

"WHAT!?" Kim shrieked tugging at the back of her skirt, feeling the fabric release and fall into its proper place. How had she not noticed that?!

Kim grabbed her bag and darted down the hall. She was fighting back tears and losing miserably. Hot tears spilled down her cheeks. She frantically wiped them away, smearing makeup all over her arm and face.

Kim couldn't handle it. Today was completely bust and she needed to get out of there. She found herself near a set of bathrooms, hurried inside, and barricaded herself in one of the stalls to avoid further humiliation.

"Anyway, I told him that I appreciated it, but that I only saw him as a friend and that I was already dating Clay. He went absolutely berserk!"

"Wait, what?"

"Yeah, he was basically screaming at me over text, calling me a slut and saying that I missed out on a 'nice guy' like him, because apparently all girls are the same: They lead men on and then turn into huge sluts, or something like that."

"Oh my God! Are you ok?"

"I am now. It really hurt at the time, but a _real_ nice guy wouldn't act like that. I blocked him and cut him out of my life, so it's no big loss I guess."

Kim listened idly from her stall as the two girls left. She had missed Quantitative Literacy and though she felt terrible about it, she resolutely decided she couldn't be bothered with anymore classes today and once she was presentable she'd go back to the dorm.

Kim blew her nose and sniffed loudly in a failed attempt to clear it before leaving the security of the stall. She washed her hands and face and stared hard at her reflection. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying, her cheeks were flushed, and her hair untamed after her little trip down the stairs.

"This day couldn't possibly get any worse." She stated solemnly to the mirror.

"Oh, I think it can." Replied a familiar voice.

"Bonnie?" Kim sniffed as Bonnie Rockwaller moved away from the wall she had been occupying for the last 20 minutes.

"Hello, Kim." Bonnie sneered with a snide smirk. "I hear you're they're calling you Princess Panty-Tuck now."

Kim glared in annoyance. "Bonnie, that was a stupid insult. What are you even doing here? I didn't think West Bridge accepted D average students."

"Ha ha, very funny, Kim." Bonnie snorted venomously, "but you won't be laughing when you're the only student who graduates from West Bridge and can't find a job because your dirty laundry has been aired out, literally."

"Screw you, Bonnie." Kim growled, "At least I'll graduate college, unlike you. Now, if you'll excuse me."

Kim pushed passed Bonnie but could still hear her voice calling after her and echoing through the hall.

"Bye, Princess Panty-Tuck!"

* * *

Kim threw open the door and nearly dropped her books upon seeing the couple intertwined on the couch.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to interrupt anything."

Alex shrugged as her half-naked girlfriend ignored Kim and continued sucking and nibbling on the brunette's neck.

Kim held up a hand to act as a blinder and made her way to her room, closing the door behind her. She leaned against it for a moment before hearing a muffled voice ask:

"Your dormmate is Princess Panty-Tuck?"

"What?"

Kim moved over to her radio and turned it on. Partly to give Alex and her girlfriend a little privacy, but mostly to avoid having to listen to the most embarrassing day of her entire existence be repeated back to her.

"I can't believe it's only Monday." Kim muttered bitterly as she switched out the supplies she'd need for tomorrow and began skimming through the upcoming homework for her classes on the school website when she heard a quiet knock at her door.

"Kim, it's Keisha. Can I come in?"

"Yeah." Kim replied, interested in finally, properly, meeting her last roommate.

Keisha opened the door, slipping through before closing it behind her.

"First, I wanted to formerly introduce myself. Keisha Davis." She said extending her hand to Kim.

"Kim Possible." Kim replied, shaking Keisha's hand.

"Secondly," Keisha continued, "I wanted to apologize to you. I'm not much of a morning person and while sleep is my most prized possession, I don't want you to have the wrong impression of me."

Kim shrugged. "Honestly, I thought it was kind of funny. Terrifying beyond belief at the time, but funny."

Keisha's lips quirked up into an amused smirk for a brief moment, before falling into a more solemn expression.

"Lastly, I heard you had a pretty shitty day."

"Geez, does everyone know about that?" Kim scowled, turning her eyes back to the laptop to avoid eye contact.

"Don't let them get to you, Kim. Otherwise, you'll spend the rest of your life letting other people dictate how you feel about yourself."

Kim glanced at Keisha from the corner of her eye. Her expression was serious, yet compassionate.

Kim opened her mouth to respond, when a loud crash from the other room made her jump.

"God damnit, Alex!" Keisha turned, storming out of the room. "You take that shit into your room! No one wants to see that!"

* * *

The following day was significantly improved. Psychology and English flew by without so much as a hitch and only a couple people muttered about Princess Panty-Tuck as she passed them. Kim had an hour break between English and Introduction to Correction Process, but decided to head in that direction anyway, just to play it safe.

A brightly colored poster advertising study abroad opportunities caught her eye and she stopped to skim the information. She turned to continue on her way when she immediately crashed into someone next to her, once against causing her papers to scatter. She really just needed to keep them in her backpack.

The two immediately stooped to collect Kim's things.

"I'm so sorry, are you al-" Kim began, but once they made eye contact, she froze and her comment died in her throat making an awkward squawking noise.

No way. There was just no way this was happening right now, but those eyes, that eyebrow quirked just so, the hair, that chin-

"Kim Possible?"

-the way he said her name in that perma-confused voice!

"Junior!?" Kim gasped in complete horror. There was no denying it. Señor Senior Junior was standing -well, stooping- right in front of her very eyes. He looked as suave as ever wearing a sport coat, tee shirt, and a pair of jeans so tight Kim doubted he could even carry his wallet in the pocket.

"What on earth are _you_ doing here!? You're supposed to be in prison!"

Junior shushed her, glancing up at the passersby to see if anyone had overheard.

"First, that's not a very nice way to greet an old friend. Secondly, I got out early for good behavior." He beamed proudly as if he had just won the Nobel Prize.

Kim scoffed. "We are _not_ friends. And at any rate, sure your father's ridiculous amount of money didn't have anything to do with your early release?" Kim asked accusatorily, snatching her papers from Junior's hands.

"Money Schmoney." Junior tutted with a nonchalant wave. "What does it matter?"

"I suppose it really doesn't, but that still doesn't explain what you're doing at West Bridge." Kim stated, her eyes narrowed with suspicion.

"Kim Possible, this is a _college_ , not a bridge." Junior said stifling a snicker, "and I would think why I'm here is pretty obvious."

Kim stared dumbfounded for a moment, her eyes glazing over at the idiocy of literally everything that had just come out of his mouth. "There's no way you're a student…"

"Don't be silly. I never had the grades to get into a school like this."

Kim breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm a professor!"

Kim felt her stomach drop and her brain grind to a halt. "I'm sorry, what?"

"I said, 'I'm a professor'." He said slowly and a little louder as if his companion were hard of hearing. "Honestly Kim, you should learn to listen when someone else is talking."

Kim opened her mouth, closed it, then opened it again trying to form her thoughts into words.

Junior snickered. "You look like a fish."

Kim narrowed her eyes at him. "There's _no_ way _you_ have the credentials to be a college professor."

"I'm a junk professor!" He announced, puffing out his broad chest like a flamboyant pigeon.

Kim slapped her hand to her face. "You mean an 'adjunct' professor?"

"That is what I said, a junk professor."

He was a junk professor alright. "What are you even qualified to teach?" At this point Kim's question was less malice than genuine curiosity, but even if it had been malicious she doubted Junior would've noticed.

"History of Modern Fashion."

"That's not a real class!"

"Psh! Sure it is."

Kim could feel her brain cells committing suicide one by one the longer she stood there attempting to make sense of the whole scenario. "Look, I don't have time for your nonsense. Whatever scheme you're up to isn't going to work. I'm going to be watching you very, very carefully."

Junior seemed nonplused, so Kim continued her tirade.

"In fact, I'll go see the dean right now- wait, no, not right now. I have class, but after! After class I'm going to see the dean, and nothing will delight me more than seeing you be marched off campus and right back to prison."

Kim didn't wait for any sort of response and just hurried away muttering to herself about what kind of pea-brained nitwit would allow a knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing Neanderthal like Junior to teach anywhere, let alone at a university, which is supposed to be an institution of higher learning.

Fortunately, her last class ended early and Kim made a beeline for the dean's office.

* * *

Kim returned to her dorm late, exhausted, and completely defeated, not to mention soaked from head to toe. She shuffled inside, her shoes squishing with every movement before kicking the door closed behind her.

Gracie stopped halfway through rinsing off her dinner plate. "Good Lord, Kim! You're a mess!"

"Really? I hadn't noticed." Kim stated bitterly heading for her room.

"What happened?"

"The sprinklers kicked on while I was about halfway through the quad."

"Oh yeah. Kim, you should never cross the quad after 9. The sprinklers start coming on then."

"Yeah, that would have been nice to know about 10 minutes ago." Kim avoided Gracie's wounded expression.

"Well, are you hungry? There's some left-over Hamburger Help-y." Gracie asked in a way that someone would address a wounded animal.

Gracie never got her answer though as Kim slammed the bedroom door shut behind her. She haphazardly tossed her saturated backpack onto the floor -so much for the textbooks' resale value- before fishing her phone out of her pocket and changing into pjs.

She quickly typed in the number and toweled her hair impatiently as the phone rang several times. "Come on. Pick up."

After a couple more rings a groggy voice answered the phone. "Kim?"

"Monique! Thank God you're awake!"

"Kim, you do know about time zones, right? It's after midnight here." Monique yawned loudly.

"I know, I'm sorry. I just really need your advice."

"Alright," She sighed tiredly, "Do I need to make a cup of coffee for this?"

"No, I won't be long."

"Alright then. Shoot."

"Guess who I found at my school." Kim said darkly.

"Bonnie?"

"Yes, but not who I'm thinking of. Try taller, more muscular, and Latino."

Monique gasped loudly into the phone. "What!?"

"I know."

"Isn't Junior supposed to be in prison?"

"Of course not, he's rich. Rich people don't go to prison." Kim scoffed bitterly.

"What's he up to?"

Kim bit her lip in thought. "I'm not sure. Apparently he's just teaching a class as an adjunct professor."

Monique gave an unladylike snort. "Junior is teaching a class? Do they make a habit of employing plebeian nut-jobs over there?"

"Apparently so. I tried to talk with the dean about it…"

"…but?"

"I couldn't even get in to see her. The gate-keeping secretary said I didn't have an appointment and that if I felt it was an emergency I could talk to the campus police…"

"…but?"

Kim sighed. "I went to tell the campus police what a threat Junior really is…"

"Kim, quit pausing dramatically and just tell me. I'm tired, but I need the closure."

"They said unless he had actually committed a crime since his release, their hands were tied and that additional patrols would be a waste of resources."

"So what's _your_ plan then?"

"Just keep an eye on him I guess. I can't really do anything other than that until he makes his move."

"God damnit, how am I going to get my closure now?" Monique grumbled irritably.

"I'm sure you'll find a way." Kim retorted patronizingly.

"Kim!" Monique suddenly gasped, startling her friend, "I have a brilliant idea!"

"What?"

"You're not going to like it though."

Kim narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "What?"

"When's the deadline for classes?"

"The 18th, why?"

"Take Junior's class! That way you can keep a better eye on him."

Kim tapped her chin in thought for a moment. "You know what? That's a great idea."

"Well, of course it is. I was the one who thought of it after all." Monique said in a mockingly-pompous tone. "Could you still sign up for it? What's your schedule like?"

Kim frowned. "It's pretty full…"

"Well, how many credits are you taking?"

"Oh, you know. A few."

"How few is 'a few'." Monique's voice went from curious to accusatory.

"20."

"Kimberly Ann Possible!"

"I know!"

"No, uh-uh! I forbid it!"

"Monique-"

"No!"

"But you said-"

"Forget what I said!" Monique insisted frantically. "Girl, you are already beyond maxed out on how many credits any sane person would take in a single semester. I forbid you from taking another class!"

"Fine." Kim pouted in defeat.

"Oh, that reminds me! How were your first couple of days at that fancy schmancy school of yours?"

Kim groaned miserably. "You'd better make that cup of coffee, Monique. It's a long story."


	3. Developments

"Wait, really!?"

"That's right." Ron smirked, his pride evident, "You're looking at the new manager of the most hallowed, magical place in the world: Bueno Nacho. Well, store #582 anyway."

Kim rocked up onto her bottom and crossed her legs, sitting Indian-style on the floor. "Ron that's amazing! I know how much this promotion means to you."

"Thanks, KP." He replied, his face absolutely glowing.

"So, what are your duties like now?"

"Honestly, it's a lot more work than I thought it would be." he admitted, "A lot of ordering supplies, talking to vendors, schedule making, training, making sure the payroll is accurate, making deposits, and keeping HR and corporate happy." Rufus nodded, making a squeak of exhaustive agreement. "but now," Ron continued, "I get paid salary, benefits, including dental -which Rufus desperately needs by the way- and I've traded in my clip-on tie for a real tie." He gently tugged on said tie for emphasis.

Kim chuckled. "I'm glad you're juggling it all so well. At least you still have time to talk to me, Mr. Big Queso."

"I'll always make time for you, Kim. Bueno Nacho is my home, but you're my life and I want to keep you as much of a priority as I can."

Kim blushed, sweeping her hair out of her face bashfully. "I'm really proud of you, Ron. You've worked really hard and you've definitely earned this promotion."

"Thanks, Kim." Ron said quietly, his face and ears turning pink. "I'd better go though. You still have a paper to finish and I have to tuck Rufus in, otherwise he'll stay up late again."

"Yeah, you're right. I'll just talk to you later. I love you."

"I love you too, KP. I'll text you during my lunch break."

"Sounds good. 'night!" Kim hung up and set the Kimmunicator aside, returning to her essay for Criminal Justice. Honestly, she had finished it two days ago, but she just kept staring at it, trying to figure out how it could be improved.

Professor Lawless had been a particularly ruthless grader and she had yet to earn anything higher than a B for the last two weeks. Kim bit her thumbnail for a second, skimming through her essay, before finally saying "screw it" and submitting it.

She sighed in exasperation, shut down the computer, and climbed onto the replacement mattress she managed to snag from the university flea market. It had a few mystery stains that Kim tried very hard not to think about, but it was decent and offered a modicum of lumbar support. After a deep, relaxing breath, Kim snuggled up and easily fell into one of the most comfortable sleeps she had had since the semester began.

The close of August had announced its presence with sunshine and a light breeze. An absolutely perfect day if Kim was any judge. It took practically no time at all to get ready for the day, she made her way to Criminal Justice without getting lost, and it even seemed like the Legend of Princess Panty-Tuck was well behind her. The day had gone by smoothly and Kim breathed a sigh of relief as she sat in the quad, sipping lazily at her ice-coffee. Aside from struggling to get a single 'A' in Criminal Justice, she finally felt like she was getting into the swing of things and creating a symbiotic day to day rhythm with college life.

Kim returned to the dorm just as the sun was beginning to set, casting brilliant hues of orange and pink across the horizon. She wandered into the dorm to see Alex sautéing something at the stove while Gracie watched critically from her seat at the bar, and Keisha made one of her rare appearances, sprawled out on the couch, reading intently.

"Smells good, Alex." Kim stated casually, "What are you making?"

"Chickpea Curry." Alex replied as she poured coconut milk into the pan.

"How can you even call that _real_ food?" Gracie whined. "There's no butter, no cream, no meat, you'll waste away eating like that."

Alex sighed, her patience had clearly been tried today. "Not all of us believe in eating things with faces, Gracie."

Gracie pouted. "The Good Lord put animals on the Earth for the benefit of man, Alex. Animals are good for you. You need protein!"

"Look," Alex started, her jaw clenched slightly, "First, you can get protein from not eating meat. Secondly, I don't harass you for how you eat, I'd appreciate some reciprocation."

"Fine, fine." Gracie conceded holding her hands up in defeat. "No need to be so hostile."

The girls served themselves and sat around the table together in a rare moment of solidarity, with Gracie only muttering once more about the lack of meat in the dish.

"So, Kim," Keisha started, breaking the relative silence, "What are you majoring in anyway? I figured based on your extensive employment history a girl like you wouldn't need to worry about finding a career after high school."

Kim wiped her mouth with her napkin before answering. "Criminal Justice."

"Oh, that makes sense. That's just so perfect for you!" Gracie squealed with delight.

Kim nodded, "I suppose so. It just seemed like a logical next step to me. What about you?" Kim asked, redirecting the question back to Keisha.

"Nursing."

"You're going into nursing _and_ working full-time?" Kim asked incredulously.

"You got to do what you got to do." Keisha replied with a smirk. "My mom is sick." She continued, her smile faltering slightly as she spoke, "She has early onset dementia and can't be by herself, but legally I can't giver her the medical care she requires, because I'm not a nurse. I work to pay for her caregiver to be with her while I'm going to school. Once I'm an LN I can look after my mother full-time myself."

"Wow." Kim whispered in awe. "I'm so sorry."

"With how much you work, that must be pretty expensive." Gracie added with a frown.

Keisha shrugged. "It is what it is. Money's tight, it's been tight for quite a while, but I'm managing. My mom is all I have left in this world and I'd do anything to help her get better, or at least live the rest of her life with some dignity. What about you, Gracie? What's your major?"

"I'm going to major in English with an emphasis on creative writing," She beamed proudly.

"Oh really? What do you want to do after college?" Keisha asked curiously.

"I'm going to be a famous author just like Stacie Mayor."

Alex choked a little on her water. "The woman who wrote that teen vampire romance series?"

"It's the _Dusk_ series, and yes." Gracie replied curtly.

"What about you, Alex?" Kim continued.

"Forensic Science."

"You mean like, dead people?" Gracie inquired, her face a little pale and her mouth contorted into an unpleasant grimace.

"Crime scenes, specifically." Alex corrected.

"What got you interested in Forensic Science?" Keisha asked.

Alex went quiet for a minute. Her eyes seemed a little unfocused as she stared off for a moment.

"My parents are both Funeral Directors and do embalming, so death is a regular subject in my house and was never something mysterious or unpleasant, at least as a topic of conversation. My parents had the basement converted into an embalming room and kept it locked to prevent my older sister, Aria, and I from going down there. Dangerous chemicals, sharp implements, not exactly the kind of thing any responsible parent would want their kids around anyway. They also tried hard to instill in us a deep respect for the deceased, maybe hoping that would also be enough of a preventative to keep us out of the basement.

One evening, my parents left to go to the wedding of an old friend, leaving my 13-year-old sister in charge. It would only be for the evening and the emergency numbers were posted on the fridge, so no big deal.

My sister used a screwdriver to unlock the basement door and dared me to go down there. I told her no way, but she insisted we check it out and said she'd come down with me. We got to the bottom of the stairs and the first thing that hit me was the smell. It was a little musty, but mostly smelled like strong disinfectant and formaldehyde. The smell was so strong, I felt like I couldn't breathe.

We turned on the lights and I remember being blinded for a minute from the fluorescent lights. When my vision returned, I had expected to see a body or something, but the room was spotless. Aria and I explored the room a little. The metal instruments were arranged on little metal trays and a large, metal table on wheels sat to one side. Aside from cupboards full of weird colored chemicals, glue, and a couple sinks, everything seemed relatively ordinary."

Kim, Gracie, and Keisha seemed relatively relieved, but after a pause, Alex continued.

"But, we hadn't opened the cold chambers yet. I didn't want to. I wanted to go back upstairs, order a pizza, and watch cartoons. I pleaded with Aria to come with me, but she insisted we open the metal doors and see what was inside. She started opening them and pulling the trays forward. Each one blessedly empty. I'm bawling hysterically, begging her to stop, but she won't listen to me and opens the next one and the next.

With each tray that slides forward I can feel my stomach tighten and my pulse race. I'm getting light headed from the fumes, and the bright lights, and the adrenaline screaming at me to run, but I'm frozen in place, shaking uncontrollably, sobs racking my body. The hairs on my arms and neck stand on end and the temperature in the room seems to drop.

Finally, it happens. Aria pulls out the final tray. The weight of the body causes the tray to slide off onto the floor and I watch as an old woman fell to the ground. The sound it made…." Alex shuddered, "I don't remember anything else until the next morning. According to my mom, her and dad came home around midnight and found Aria crying in the living room. Panic set in and they demanded to know where I was. Aria pointed to the embalming room door and they hurried down the stairs to find me completely catatonic. I didn't speak for three months and only after extensive psychotherapy and a brief Institution stay. I can still hear that old woman hitting the floor in my nightmares…"

The muffled sounds of students returning to their dorms or playing music seemed absolutely deafening in the silence that followed. Keisha's fork slipped from her hand, clattering loudly on the table and startling Kim and Gracie.

"Good Lord."

* * *

Kim had a difficult time sleeping that night. Nightmares of being trapped in a cold, metal box with an old woman's corpse kept interrupting her sleep. She finally gave up around four AM and headed into the kitchen for a cup of coffee. Gracie was already bunched up on the couch watching one of the _Dusk_ movies, a cup of coffee in her hands, and a fluffy, pink blanket wrapped around her so only her face was visible.

"You couldn't sleep either?" Kim asked sympathetically.

Gracie jumped, clearly startled by Kim's voice. "What? Oh, yeah, no. Not really."

Kim poured some cream and sugar in her coffee and plopped down next to Gracie in companionable silence.

"I like this part." Gracie said quietly after a moment, "This is where Edwin fights Jake for Belinda's love."

Kim made a noise of acknowledgement before taking a small sip from her mug and tuning in to the movie.

Two men stood opposite of each other in a lush pine forest, both shirtless and the paler of the two covered in cheap body glitter. The camera panned up to the tan guy, "Jake" Kim recalled, emphasizing his sweat-glistened abs before he spoke.

"You left her abandoned and alone for three months and you think you can just come back and pick things up where they left off like that never happened? Just like that?"

"You wouldn't understand the intensity of our love and passion. It's based on a semi-murderous lust and casual stalking. Don't hate me just because she confuses my aloof, mildly abusive and controlling behavior for unbridled passion."

"You can't have her, because I love her and I'm desperately trying to get out of the friendzone she put me in, even though it's a social construct created by guys who feel entitled to a relationship and find it demeaning to be 'just friends' with a woman!"

"Well, I loved her first!"

"Well, I loved her second!"

"Boys, please. Don't fight over me." A tired-looking actress holding a cigarette muttered in impassive monotone. "There's enough of me to go around."

The boys ignored her plea and began fighting, tearing sensuously at each other's clothes.

Kim felt her face twist into complete bewilderment. She glanced over at Gracie whose eyes glimmered gently with delight as she watched the scene with uninhibited yearning.

"I want a love like that." She muttered through the blanket.

Kim nodded quietly before getting up and returning almost robotically to her room.

* * *

"A B-minus? Are you serious?" Kim scowled at the screen her phone. She could feel her face flush as the heat of injustice scorched her cheeks.

"Hm? What's up?" Kim's desk-neighbor, Travis, took a quick break from rummaging around in his backpack to look up at her with mild curiosity.

"I got a B-minus on that 'use of police force' assignment!" She hissed, refreshing the screen, hoping it was some sort of mistake.

"Really? Nice!" Travis responded with a grin, "Way to go, Kim!"

"No," Kim corrected, "Not nice, Travis. I worked my butt off for a week, I even missed a phone call from my boyfriend -which I had to apologize profusely and make up for by playing some online mining game thing with him- in order to do well on this assignment. I practically lived in the Writing Lab and I still got a B minus on it!"

"A B-minus? That's pretty impressive." Laurel stated as she set her things down one row behind Kim.

Kim opened her mouth to respond in the negative, but stopped, instead turning around to face her classmates.

"What did you guys get?"

"C, but just barely." Travis replied with a shrug.

"I got a B minus too, but this is the first B grade I've earned in this class so far." Laurel added pulling out her textbook and skimming over the chapter for today's lecture.

Kim frowned. "Is it normal to earn a C in this class?"

Travis scribbled something in his planner as he answered, "Professor Lawless' classes aren't known for being ridiculously difficult for no reason."

Laurel nodded, flipping to the next page in her book. "This is my second time taking this class and I'm still struggling. I think it's Lawless' way of weeding out the weak or something."

"That's 'Professor Lawless', Miss Noble." While the correction itself was perfectly neutral, Kim felt a shudder creep up her spine at the tone.

"Of course, Professor. My apologies." Laurel responded quietly, lifting her book slightly to hide her face.

"Miss Possible, you had a complaint about my grading rubric?"

His steely, grey eyes held no warmth and made Kim feel like she had committed a particularly egregious sin.

"No, Professor." She responded, choosing her words carefully, "I simply noticed that my work so far this semester seems not to be up to your standards and I wonder if I could set an appointment to meet with you during office hours to discuss how I can improve."

Kim felt her pulse speed up slightly at the look of barely suppressed horror on Travis' face. She stiffened slightly and suppressed the urge to bite her lip from the new mounting panic.

Professor Lawless narrowed his eyes slightly. "I don't make appointments to allow for one's incompetence." And with that, Professor Lawless began the lecture.

* * *

Kim could hear the bickering before she even opened the door. Gracie was on yet another one of her tangents and Kim was far too tired to deal with it today. Despite trying to slip in unnoticed, Gracie zeroed in on her in an instant, dragging her newest, unwilling victim into the fray.

"Kim, thank goodness you're here! We need to have a dorm meeting right now!"

Kim bite her tongue in order to repress the urge to tell her vampire-loving dorm mate where she could shove her meeting. She felt, despite their idiosyncrasies, they all got along rather well and there was really no need to make the rest of the semester more difficult than necessary.

Kim glanced to Keisha, who was dressed for work and seemed to be suppressing a violent rage and the idiocy of it all and Alex looked uncharacteristically livid as well Her arms were crossed in front of her chest as she leaned idly against the bar and glared daggers in Gracie's direction while her girlfriend, Macey, tapped her foot impatiently, both clearly dressed for a night out.

"What's going on?" Kim asked, readjusting her backpack strap uncomfortably.

The pink-clad blonde cleared her throat before answering. "It appears that some person or persons have once again disregarded the rules, that we all agreed to I might add, regarding food and not eating food that doesn't belong to you without consent."

"You have got to be kidding me." Keisha snarled. "First of all, you don't have a single one of these 'agreements' in writing, so you're shit out of luck on that one. Secondly, Are you telling me that you're keeping me-" she glanced at her phone, "-10 minutes late to work for some instant ramen that costs 10 cents at the Sullivan's on 4th? Are you out of your mind!?"

"It's not the particulars, it's the principle of the matter, Keisha! Someone stole 3 apples and I'm missing another toaster tart, which Alex already admitted guilt to."

"This is stupid!" Alex's face turned a dangerous shade of red. "I'm not missing my reservations for my 1-year anniversary date, because of your self-imposed dormitory dictatorship! All of us have far better things to do than listen to your nonsensical rhetoric!"

"This isn't difficult!" Gracie growled, frustrated tears forming in her eyes, "I just want to know who stole my apples and get an apology!"

Kim shifted uncomfortably for a minute before slowly raising her hand up. "Gracie, I ate the apples."

Gracie turned her gaze to Kim, her eyes a mixture of genuine surprise and hurt.

"Kim?"

"I thought the fruit bowl was for everyone." Kim explained quietly, "I didn't realize it would cause this much upset. I'm sorry, Gracie."

"You must be mistaken, Kim." Gracie replied, her voice shaking a little with disbelief. "The Kim Possible I know wouldn't do something to harm someone, to 'break the law' so to speak. I'm sure you're just confused."

"Gracie, doing good does not make me incapable of making mistakes. I'm still human."

Gracie's face paled a little. She suddenly looked tired, a little ill, and as if Kim had kicked a puppy.

"I-I see…"

"There! Kim ate your stupid apples! Next time keep them in your fucking room! I'm leaving." Alex snorted angrily, before grabbing Macey's handing and pulling her out the door, Keisha following close behind.

The door slammed shut behind them making the tension-filled quiet that much more awkward. Kim frowned a little. Gracie was incredibly naïve, dramatic, and a little uptight, but she was a nice enough person and Kim was a little disappointed in herself for having let down someone who was clearly a big fan of her work.

"Are you ok, Gracie?"

Gracie nodded quietly, the tears finally trekking down her cheeks. "I just… need to be alone right now." She answered, her voice was barely above a whisper, before she slowly made her way to her room and gently closed the door behind her.

* * *

Señor Senior Junior took another sip from the perfectly crafted cognac in his glass before he continued to scrutinize the paper in his hand. Why did everyone have to use such big words in their research papers? Junior rubbed his chin thoughtfully for a moment before shrugging nonchalantly and marking the paper with an 'A'. Smart people and only smart people used big words like, "synergy", so the student must know what they're talking about.

He placed the paper on top of the "done" pile, where the other 'A' papers temporarily resided. As he began scanning the next paper for big words, the massive, retractable monitor plunged from the ceiling, ringing aggressively.

Junior jumped in surprise spilling a little of his nightcap on the "done" pile. "Oopsies."

Señor Senior Senior's face appeared on the screen, looking just as relaxed as Junior had only minutes ago.

"Hello, Junior," the family patriarch greeted warmly, "How's my college boy?"

"Father!" Junior squealed with genuine delight upon seeing the silver-haired man. "Why have you not returned my calls? I've been trying to reach you for, like, a month."

"Ah yes. Please accept my apologies Junior. It seems it's difficult to get televised communication service in aluminum-line maximum security resorts."

"Oh."

"So tell me, my son, how is school?"

"It's wonderful, Father!" Junior beamed animatedly. "Everyone is so nice, I get to wear tweed pants, and grade papers!"

"That sounds nice, Junior."

"They have a real department head person, who doesn't seem to like me very much, but perhaps they are not familiar enough with my modeling career… I also get my own parking spot with a sign and everything, but they spelled my name wrong. They wrote 'Reserved for Campus Police' on the sign. I can't believe they misspelled my name so badly."

"Oh, and I ran into Kim Possible! She said she will be keeping an eye on me. I think she is suspicious of my being here, but I could be reading the situation wrong. Oh, also let me tell you about my office and the 'hours' I have for students to meet with me-"

"Wait, Kim Possible? Kim Possible goes to your school?"

"Father, I don't _own_ the school." Junior replied with a chuckle.

"Yes, yes, never mind that, but you saw Kim Possible there?"

"Yes, we crashed into each other. Literally."

"Was Kim Possible with her blonde sidekick?"

"No, she was alone."

Senior steepled his fingers together and furrowed his brow in quiet contemplation for a moment.

"Junior, this is perfect!"

"Yes, I agree. I will also give this one an 'A'." Junior said marking the paper and moving on to the next.

"No, not that."

"So… a 'B'-plus, or…?"

"Listen carefully, my son. With Kim Possible separated from her family and friends she's more vulnerable and will be easier to defeat and capture."

"Capture Kim Possible?"

"Yes, with her so near to you and away from her support group, you can keep an eye on her while we devise a plan to catch her off guard and hold her prisoner until our demands are met." Senior explained, fire burning in his eyes.

"As long as we demand the demands during office hours."

Senior frowned slightly. "Junior, this is kind of important."

"But what about my classes? How can I educate the next generation of great thinkers and plot against Kim Possible at the same time?"

Senior rubbed at the bridge of his nose in an effort to stave off the building migraine developing behind his eyes.

"Very well, Junior. Tell me about your office hours."


End file.
